Course: Climate Change (2021)
Faculty Mentor: Laurent Mesbah
Editors’ Note: This was Maha’s second course with the Wilmette Institute. She also studied The Baha’i Faith and the Arts (2020), with a group of family and friends from her home town in Balochistan, Pakistan.
After reflecting on what I have learned from this course I am sure that I have achieved more than what I expected from the materials. I know now what the world religions say about climate protection and the importance of mother earth, which is to say that not only the Bahá’í faith but also other religions want us to respect our environment and preserve its security and integrity.
I believe that most of the world’s problems, be it social or economic or spiritual or environmental that are surrounding us, are connected to climate change. Poverty, injustices, illnesses, changing in weather (flood, famine, storms, wildfires), loss of biodiversity, ocean acidification, glacier melting, water scarcity—all these problems are interconnected and are due to a shift in the equilibrium of our ecosystems.
Thanks to this course, I can now confidently share authentic information regarding climate change and how to resolve its problems through individual action and raising awareness.
I know now how urgently we have to work on this subject as we already don’t have any time left. I am happy that by playing my part in securing the climate I am actually making myself more spiritual and ethical as well, and practicing the harmony of science and religion.
I also now have a stronger belief in our value system and I am going to apply what I have learned in my home life, and share my knowledge with my friends.
Now that the course has ended, I plan to share the information with my junior youth group. We have already seen and discussed the documentary ‘Home‘ from Unit 2. I will try to share some key points at our 19 day feast, and I will also share ideas from the course in social media messages.
